The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (A Book Review)

Author	Khaled Hosseini
Cover artist	David Mann
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Fiction, Historical fiction and Drama

The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. 

Plot:

It tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, whose closest friend is Hassan, his father's young Hazara servant. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice to abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and political tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching them far apart. But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir journeys back to a distant world, to try to right past wrongs against the only true friend he ever had.

The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet military intervention, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.

Themes: 

Themes of guilt and redemption... true friendship feature prominently in the novel, with a pivotal scene depicting an act of violence against Hassan that Amir fails to prevent. The latter half of the book centers on Amir's attempts to atone for this transgression by rescuing Hassan's son over two decades later.

Hosseini draws parallels during the search for Sohrab to create an impression of poetic justice; for example, Amir sustains a split lip after being severely beaten, similar to Hassan's harelip
.
War, history, poverty, dilemma are the major themes of thestory. The book revolves around the destruction caused by Talibans, the executions and oppression that had become a very common site in the hitherto Afghanistan. Religion, beliefs and culture are well exemplified as themes in this gripping novel.


When adapting The Kite Runner for the theatre, Director Eric Rose stated that he was drawn into the narrative by the "themes of betraying your best friend for the love of your father", which he compared to Shakespearean literature.

Khaled Hosseini: A prolific writer

The entire story in short: 

Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara who is the son of Ali, Amir's father's servant, spend their days kite fighting in the hitherto peaceful city of Kabul. Amir's father is often critical of Amir, considering him weak and lacking in courage. 

Assef, an older boy with a sadistic taste for violence, mocks Amir for socializing with a Hazara. Its Hassan, aloyal friend who comes to Amir's rescue despite knowing Aseef's might.

One triumphant day, Amir wins the local kite fighting tournament and finally earns Baba's praise. Hassan runs for the last cut kite, a great trophy, saying to Amir, "For you, a thousand times over." However, after finding the kite, Hassan encounters Assef in an alleyway. Hassan refuses to give up the kite he had chased for Amir, and Assef beats him severely and rapes him. Amir witnesses the act but is too scared to intervene. He feels incredibly guilty but knows his cowardice would destroy any hopes for Baba's affections, so he keeps quiet about the incident. Afterwards, his feelings of guilt prevent him from interacting with the boy.

Amir begins to believe that life would be easier if Hassan were not around, so he accuses Hassan of theft which he falsely confesses when confronted by Baba. Although Baba believes "there is no act more wretched than stealing", he forgives him and pleads Ali not to go but they do. Amir is freed of the daily reminder of his cowardice and betrayal, but he still lives in their shadow.

In 1979, five years later, the Soviet Union militarily intervenes in Afghanistan. Amir and Baba escape to California where Amir meets fellow refugee Soraya Taheri whom he later marries. Baba is diagnosed with terminal cancer and soon dies. Amir and Soraya settle down in a happy marriage, but to their sorrow they learn that they cannot have children.

Amir embarks on a successful career as a novelist. Fifteen years after his wedding, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan, who is dying, asking him to come to Peshawar. He enigmatically tells Amir, "There is a way to be good again." Amir goes.

From Rahim Khan, Amir learns that Hassan and his wife were killed after Hassan refused to allow the Taliban to confiscate Baba and Amir's house in Kabul. Rahim Khan further reveals that Ali, being sterile, was not Hassan's biological father. Hassan was actually Baba's son and Amir's half-brother. Finally, he tells Amir that the reason he called Amir to Pakistan was to rescue Sohrab, Hassan's son, from an orphanage in Kabul which he does with the help of Farid, a taxi driver. 

Sohrab had been taken away from the orphanage by a man who generally takes up girls and sometimes boys. The man turns out to be Aseef. Assef sexually abuses him and makes him dance dressed in women's clothes. Assef agrees to relinquish him, but only for a price: severely beating Amir. Sohrab interrupts the beating by using his slingshot to shoot out Assef's left eye, fulfilling Hassan's threat made many years before.

Amir tells Sohrab of his plans to take him back to America and possibly adopt him. However, American authorities demand evidence of Sohrab's orphan status. Amir tells Sohrab that he may have to temporarily break his promise until the paperwork is completed, and Sohrab attempts suicide. Amir eventually manages to take him back to the United States. After his adoption, Sohrab refuses to interact with Amir or Soraya until the former reminisces about Hassan and kites and shows off some of Hassan's tricks. In the end, Sohrab only gives a lopsided smile, but Amir takes it with all his heart as he runs the kite for Sohrab, saying, "For you, a thousand times over."

                                  

Review:

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

 It goes without mention that the writer was beautiful, steady, poignant and brave in harnessing an uncanny atmosphere throughout the story... a wonderful tale. The way Khaled writes is amazing. The story is a human story that has the power to shaken a common nerve among people across the world... Each page of the novel is an exploration that leads to buried secrets and realities...   And then there are lines that can grip you, force you to think over and over again. Some instances and words in the novel still seem to be alive in me... sometimes I simply drift away thinking of them.

 I remember these lines by Amir about Hassan:

" And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too."

Another line...by Amir's baba:

" There is only one sin and that is theft... when you lie to someone you steal his right to truth, when you kill someone, you steal his right to live"

"There are a lot of children in Afghanistan but little childhood." 

.

.

.

"I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away, unannounced in the middle of the night"

And the best of all...

"For you a thousand times over..."

Reception:

The Kite Runner became a bestseller after being printed in paperback and was popularized in book clubs. It was a number one New York Times bestseller for over two years, with over seven million copies sold in the United States. Reviews were generally positive, though parts of the plot drew significant controversy in Afghanistan. A number of adaptations were created following publication, including a 2007 film of the same name, several stage performances, and a graphic novel.


Goodreads: 4.2/5

My star rating:

Plot: 5/5 stars
Setting: 5/5 stars
Literature: 5/5 stars
Themes: 5/5 stars

Total: 20/20 (even more than that)
This indeed has become one of my most favourite novels.

 

A must read according to me.